Upscale chain restaurant Strip House (which replaced 75-year-old Asti) was slated to take over the spot before the bookstore had even closed, but they did not move in right away. The downstairs space stayed empty for four years, growing more blighted by the day--and we sorely missed our bookstore.

2011

During those four years, 12th Street Books relocated to Brooklyn and became The Atlantic Book Shop. Sadly, it did not last. In May 2011, that bookstore also shuttered. It has not, to my knowledge, reopened again.

The Strip House Grill, once a haven of books, is now serving filet mignon sandwiches and "lobster frites."

Considering its open to 1am/2am and it's not a nail salon or bank, I'm pretty happy *something* food-worthy opened in that space. For post-midnite diners like myself, there's not much in the immediate area other than l'Express/French Roast/Coffeshop.

When I moved to the East Village there were 3 bookstores on Saint Marks Place b/t 2nd & 3rd, three on 3rd between 7 & 9th Streets, one (a giant one) where Kinko's was on Cooper Square, Pageant of course on 9th and a dozen on 4th Avenue.